The film’s screenplay won a $50,000 Chronos Prize from Movieguide Awards, with Dr. Ted Baehr calling it an “impressively powerful script.” The writers and directors are Matthew G. Hill and Landon Johnson.

Synopsis

Unofficially led by a deposed Protestant pastor known only as Jacques (Cary Elwes), a small group of Christians, Jews and Gypsies are forced to live in hiding together while Jacques uses a pirate radio signal to broadcast messages of resistance and hope in defiance of Nazi rule in 1943 occupied France. For their efforts, the group soon finds itself hunted by the Gestapo (Sebastian Roche). To survive they must place their lives in the unlikely hands of a suspicious benefactor who made his fortune from the very War that has cost them so dearly.

The film, while not a true story, does draw from the rarely told true history of Christians, Jews, Gypsies and freedom fighters of various faiths who banded together and risked everything in defiance of Nazi rule.

A release date is not yet available. Taylor & Dodge is reportedly handling worldwide sale. Slingshot Media Group is a film and television production company devoted to inspirational, uplifting and faith-inspired content in both the comedy and drama arenas.

January 9th, 2019 | Articles | Comments Off on The Least of These: The Graham Staines Story

Based on a true story, “The Least of These” shares the remarkable life of Australian missionary Graham Staines, who on January 23, 1999 met an unexpected fate in India while faithfully serving the leper population. The film’s release date on February 1, 2019, coincides with the 20th anniversary of his martyrdom that shocked the world.

Shot on location near Hyderabad, India, “The Least of These” is told through the viewpoint of a fictional character, Manav Banerjee (Joshi), who moves with his pregnant wife to Orissa, India, seeking a job as a journalist with the local newspaper.

Christian actor Stephen Baldwin plays the part of missionary Graham Staines and Shari Rigby plays his wife Gladys—who served lepers of India

When speculation mounts that Graham Staines (Stephen Baldwin) is illegally proselytizing and converting leprosy patients to Christianity, Manav, hoping to make a better life for his new family, agrees to investigate undercover, hoping to catch Staines in the act.

What Manav finds is a series of revelations that are difficult to fathom and even harder to explain, forcing him to make a choice between his own ambition and the truth. In the end, a tragic event and a surprising reaction from the Staines family will change Manav forever.

Executive Producer Victor Abraham says,

The film is all about the power of love, hope and forgiveness to overcome hate.

In 2005, Graham’s wife Gladys Staines was awarded the 4th highest civilian honor in India, Padma Shree, in recognition for her work with leprosy patients in Odisha. In the film, Shari Rigby plays Gladys Staines. Rigby has appeared in 8 films including “OCTOBER BABY” (2012), “NOT TODAY” (2013) and “EXTRAORDINARY” (2017). She is also starring in the new Sherwood Pictures film “OVERCOMER” coming later this year.

Actor Sharman Joshi (playing Manav Banerjee) was born in Bombay, Maharashtra, India, and comes from a long line of actors and performing artists as a member of the Gujarati family. He is a notable Indian Cinema actor best known for “3 Idiots” (2009), “Rang De Basanti” (2006) and Golmaal: “Fun Unlimited” (2006).

The film features a companion soundtrack to be released based on the movie with exclusive songs by well-known artists including Michael W. Smith, Toby Mac and Nicole C. Mullen and Getty Music.

“The Reliant” is a faith-based, feature length action film made by Fervent House Media. It stars Kevin Sorbo, Brian Bosworth, Mollee Gray, Eric Roberts, Julia Denton and many others. The film was completed in the summer of 2018 and is seeking a distributor for 2019 theatrical release.

This motion picture drama tells the story of “an economic catastrophe that precipitates widespread rioting and social unrest across the nation, leaving a lovesick 21-year-old girl struggling to care for her siblings in a stretch of woods bordered by lawless anarchy, wondering why a good God would let this happen.”

According to Producer Dr. J.P. Johnston,

“Without a doubt, the most powerful way to influence the next generation is cinema. And not cheesy, B-rated ‘preachy’ movies that ‘preach to the choir,’ but powerfully engaging, unpredictable, realistic, relevant, unforgettable stories that will leave audiences changed and hungry for more.”

“THE RELIANT takes the hard questions head on. Questions like ‘Why do bad things happen to good people?’ In a winsome and entertaining, edge-of-your-seat fashion, questions are answered in a way that honors God, satisfies the conscience, and vindicates liberty.”

Dr. Johnston is a family practice physician and the founder of the Association of Pro-life Physicians (ProLifePhysicians.org). He has reportedly written 10 novels.

Submission of the film to the Motion Pictures Association of America (MPAA) for rating, produced an unexpected result. The MPAA rated it “R” for some violence. The producer reports that the film does not glamorize violence, and it was specifically and carefully designed to easily receive a more favorable rating. Dr. Johnston believes the MPAA is biased, and is, in effect, trying to prevent the film’s success because it is not only faith-based, but also pro-2nd Amendment. Johnston suggests,

“That’s just more than the Hollywood elites can handle.”

“Yes, Kevin Sorbo’s character and his children use weapons to defend themselves from armed looters, but it is so much less violence than even many PG-13 action films. This is an entertaining but God-honoring film. We were so careful to prevent the ‘The Reliant’ from coming anywhere near an ‘R’ rating.”

The MPAA ruling is being appealed, and the producer is currently raising funds for this effort and for upcoming marketing costs (see Indiegogo page).

The film is directed by Paul Munger, with expert Director of Photography James Burgess—who himself has produced and directed hundreds of films, videos and TV commercials.

The music was composed by James Everingham and recorded at The Abbey Road Studios, London.

Kevin Sorbo (“Let There Be Light,” “God’s Not Dead”) is set to star in “The Penitent Thief,” an adaptation of Don Willis’ best-selling novel of the same name. The film is currently in production and is scheduled for debut during the 2019 Easter season. The HISTORICAL FICTION DRAMA follows the journey of the two men who were crucified alongside Jesus. The film assumes the two could have been brothers and spins a story around how their lives could have intersected with some of the most notable ﬁgures in the Bible.

Actor Kevin Sorbo is an evangelical, nondenominational Christian who was raised in a Lutheran church. He says,

Historically, there is a lot we don’t know about the thieves by Jesus’ side. I applaud the film for its commitment to the biblical narrative, while allowing for imagination in areas where Scripture is silent. My hope is that the audience sees themselves in these characters and finds the same hope that the penitent thief did on the cross.

The faith-based film is co-directed and produced by Lucas Miles (Miles Media Films) and Jon Blaze, and written and executive produced by Don and Julia Willis (4:13 Films). Miles says,

The story of “The Penitent Thief” is all of our stories. Like the thief, we deserve eternal punishment, but thankfully through the cross, God has made a way for us to find redemption, forgiveness and grace. My hope is that this film leads people to experience the cross in a whole new way.

4:13 Films is a faith-based production company helmed by Don and Julia Willis. Launched in 2015, 4:13 Films has collaborated on nationally recognized projects including “God’s Not Dead 2,” “Crowning Jules” and “Rodeo Girl.”

Miles Media Films, a production company established by CEO Lucas Miles, fosters dynamic cinematic endeavors that balance art and business. With a background in media, Miles’ resume includes credits on many national projects in film, commercials, music and literature. Miles is also the host of The Lucas Miles Show, which explores the intersection of faith, leadership and media.

The International Christian Visual Media Association announces the submission deadline of April 1, 2017 for its coveted ICVM Crown Awards to be presented at the annual Conference.

A company or producer must be a current member of ICVM in order to submit an entry. Submission forms, a list of categories and complete submission instructions are on the website at www.icvm.com/crown-awards.

Entries must be received by ICVM no later than April 1, 2017, accompanied by a $75 submission fee.

The International Christian Visual Media Crown Awards are designed to recognize excellence in production and content of films and media that reflect Christian values in a secular world.

Categories include Feature Films, Short Films, Youth & Children Films, Documentaries, International Films, Music Videos, Short Clips, TV Formats and Series. Producers around the world, working in visual media in any way, are encouraged to join ICVM and submit their films.

ICVM is pleased to announce prize money in the following categories: $2500 for the Gold Crown Award winner for Best Picture, courtesy of Christian Video Licensing International and $500 for the Gold Crown Award winner for Best Evangelistic Film, courtesy of the Ron Mix Memorial Fund.

The coveted ICVM Crown Award signifies excellence in all areas of production. Past winners of the Best Picture and Best Evangelistic Film Crown Awards have included such films as “Sabrina K” by Messenger Films, “War Room” by the Kendrick Brothers, “Beyond The Mask” by Burns Family Studios, “Providence” by Mainstreet Productions, “Patterns of Evidence: The Exodus” by Mahoney Media, “Trade of Innocents” by Dean River Productions, “Like Dandelion Dust” by ChristianCinema.com, “Acts of God” by City on a Hill Productions, and other films.

The mission of International Christian Visual Media Association is to be a supportive Christian community for those involved in the production and distribution of visual media, encouraging and networking to communicate Christ to the world, with members from over 20 nations representing all forms of visual media backgrounds.

The 2017 ICVM Annual Conference is June 25-28, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its theme: Arise, Shine, for Your Light Has Come. This Bible verse, Isaiah 60:1, illustrates ICVM’s commitment to encourage, inspire and learn from one another in community and worship. The Conference is a time of Christian fellowship, outlandish fun and professional networking, culminating in the ICVM Crown Award Celebration, honoring the excellent work of our colleagues.

A positive case for why the Bible’s view of history in Genesis provides solid evidence to answer life’s biggest questions.

In the enlightening new documentary, IS GENESIS HISTORY?, Dr. Del Tackett takes audiences on a remarkable journey to explore evidence that supports historic claims of the Book of Genesis with renowned scientists and Bible scholars.

IS GENESIS HISTORY? comes to movie theaters nationwide for a one-night event, Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, from Compass Cinema and Fathom Events. Following the film, there will be a moderated on-screen discussion with Tackett and a panel of scientists and theologians regarding Genesis’ impact on Christians today. After the theater showings, the film will be available on DVD, VOD, and for church licensing on April 11, 2017.

Dr. Del Tackett is former president of the Focus on the Family Institute and a former senior vice president of Focus on the Family. He created Focus on the Family’s The Truth Project—a nationwide project to bring the Christian worldview to the body of Christ. Tackett addresses worldview and cultural issues through writing, speaking, film and TV.

IS GENESIS HISTORY? was produced by Compass Cinema and produced and directed by Thomas Purifoy, Jr.

“This film started from a conversation with my 10-year-old daughter about science, history and the Bible,” Purifoy said. “She wanted to know how the things in the world are explained by what she reads in the Bible. Her questions led me down a lot of different paths where I heard and saw some amazing things. I tried to put as many of them as I could into the documentary.”

Tackett said,

“Millions of people have sincere questions about the origins of the earth and humanity. And there are contrasting views of our history, one of which is in the book of Genesis. The question is, which view is accurate? IS GENESIS HISTORY? makes a positive case that the Bible is historically reliable.”

Traveling the world, Tackett teams with experts in geology, biology, astronomy, archaeology, the Bible and more. Together they seek answers to longstanding questions surrounding the book of Genesis:

Was the universe created in six literal days?

Did humans evolve?

Were Adam and Eve real?

Was there a global flood?

What happened to the dinosaurs?

Dr. Del Tackett, host of the film, explains:

“People don’t need to feel unscientific in believing God’s Word as it is written. We wanted the film to show that there are smart, professional, respected scientists who are working in the field who have seen the evidence firsthand and believe that the evidence supports the historical narrative of Genesis.”

Thomas Purify, Jr. is a filmmaker and an educator. He has produced, written and directed numerous projects through his production company, Compass Cinema. In 2010, he started Compass Classroom to sell the company’s educational products to churches and families around the world.

RESULTS UPDATE 4.8.2017

This documentary used an unconventional theatrical release, launching the film as a one-night only theatrical event. Reportedly, over 143,000 people purchased tickets for the premiere event, making IS GENESIS HISTORY? the highest grossing and #1 per-screen average film in the country on February 23, 2017 (source: BoxOfficeMojo.com). This outpouring of support caused two additional evenings of encore screenings that ultimately earned the film $2.7-million in just three evenings.

Producer Thomas Purifoy Jr. said,

“We knew people were innately interested in the events recorded in Genesis, so we were confident in the subject matter. What we were surprised by was how many theaters sold out, added screens, then sold out again. Documentaries aren’t supposed to do well in theaters. IS GENESIS HISTORY? is a film that is continually breaking the mold.”

The Fatherhood CoMission and the Christian Worldview Film Festival have partnered to hold the second annual HONOR YOUR FATHER short film contest. The two groups urge filmmakers to use inspiration, humor, or drama in short film to promote a Biblical perspective of fatherhood, sharable on social media and appropriate to play in churches leading up to Father’s Day.

Filmmakers of all ages and backgrounds are invited to create a short film or submit an existing short film that meets the contest criteria to cwvff.com/fatherhood.

The Fatherhood CoMission has teamed up with The Christian Worldview Film Festival (CWVFF) to host this short film competition. Stephen Kendrick, Fatherhood CoMission Board Member/Film Producer says,

“Imagine the national and global impact if every fathering/family organization, church, pastor were preaching the same message this Father’s Day—‘Honor Your Father’—a simple, scriptural and relevant way to help Dads and those they impact.”

Submissions must be received by Monday, January 30, 2017. Finalists will be showcased at the 2017 Christian Worldview Film Festival in San Antonio, March 16-18, 2017 and the winners revealed at the awards ceremony on Saturday, March 18, 2017. Finalists and winners will also be showcased in the 2017 Fatherhood CoMission’s HONOR YOUR FATHER campaign.

​The goal of this competition is to create a compelling short film that champions fatherhood. For years TV, movies, and other media have portrayed fathers as feckless targets of ridicule, devaluing the role fathers play, stripping them of honor. We will recognize and reward talented filmmakers whose work can reverse that trend.

Film submissions should be one-three minutes in length, and should be submitted via digital download by January 30, 2017. Filmmakers can visit cwvff.com/fatherhood/​ for submission guidelines and to register films online.

Submission fee is $25/film

The LATE film submission deadline is February 6, 2017 with a fee of $50/film.

$10,000 in prize money will be awarded. First Place will receive $5000, Second Place will receive $2500, Third Place will receive $1500, Fourth Place will receive $1000.

At least 10 finalists will have their short films showcased at the 2017 Christian Worldview Film Festival and be used in the annual “Honor Your Father” campaign, which is organized by the Fatherhood CoMission.

About The Christian Worldview Film Festival and Filmmakers Guild

CWVFF provides an annual event to showcase Christian films and provide training for filmmakers through the Filmmakers Guild. CWVFF is an outreach of Media Talk 101, a nonprofit organization dedicated to teaching media discernment in the light of following Christ. ​mediatalk101.org

About The Fatherhood CoMission

F.C.M is a group of ministry and business leaders working together to champion fatherhood both inside and outside the Church through clear, compelling evidence of God’s design for dads as noble difference makers in their families and the world.

F.C.M. serves, networks, and inspires others by providing resources, events, and a relationship building platform for other fathering organizations. ​fatherhoodcomission.com

PureFlix, a leader in the faith and family streaming video space, is partnering with ClearPlay Inc. of Salt Lake City, Utah. To provide consumers original content, movies, TV shows and more completely free from any offensive language.

ClearPlay’s innovative playback filtering technology is designed to work with the PureFlix.com existing library of more than 5,000 titles. It also opens the door for the addition of new content, which previously may have been rejected due to concerns about inappropriate language. ClearPlay is a service that makes movies family-friendly. The service works by filtering language and scenes while a movie is playing, all based on the family’s own personal settings.

Now, by simply enabling the filtering technology from an on-screen PureFlix.com menu, all offensive language is seamlessly muted during playback.

While PureFlix.com is available on several streaming devices, the filtering technology is currently designed to work only on ROKU and most computer browsers. It will be available to PureFlix.com subscribers in Spring 2017. PureFlix’s CEO Greg Gudorf reports,

“Working with ClearPlay enables us to further fulfill our promise of no language, sex or violence surprises with our faith and family-focused content. A portion of our customer base—who have very strict personal guidelines on what they deem appropriate—has spoken and we’ve listened.”

While the clear majority of PureFlix.com’s content is completely free from what most consider offensive language, some conservative Christian families have a zero-tolerance policy for certain imagery and/or words.

For example, in the wholesome “Heartland” series, the word “hell” is uttered during an occasional episode. With ClearPlay’s technology enabled, this and all language considered offensive is muted without interrupting the program being viewed.

Matt Jarman, CEO and co-founder of ClearPlay, says,

“This is a tremendous win-win situation for the consumer. Parents can now fine-tune their family’s viewing experience for even more wholesomeness in their entertainment and both companies get to fulfill their goals of providing families with positive entertainment.”

According to competitor Neal Harmon, the CEO of VidAngel, “PureFlix users will be able to filter content only on Roku players and desktop computers.”

Link Summary

True story of race against time to save American medical missionaries stricken with Ebola comes to theaters, one night only, March 30, 2017

“Facing Darkness—a documentary from Samaritan’s Purse and Executive Producer Franklin Graham—claimed the Best Feature Documentary Premiere Award at the 2016 Heartland Film Festival. FACING DARKNESS brings to life the true story of Brantly and Nancy Writebol, two American aid workers in West Africa stricken in 2014 with the deadly Ebola virus, and the race against time to get them home and save their lives. Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the international Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse reports,

“We are grateful for this award and give all of the glory to God for it. We made this movie because it is important to us to let the world know how the Lord worked through Samaritan’s Purse to save the lives of Kent and Nancy.”

Featuring interviews with those who fought the Ebola outbreak firsthand, FACING DARKNESS was filmed on location in Liberia and the U.S. where the events took place. It is a story of true heroes, risking their lives in an effort to stem one of the deadliest epidemics of the century. Ebola infected more than 28,000 people in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone, and claimed more than 11,000 lives.

Brantly and Writebol were in ELWA Hospital in Monrovia, Liberia, fighting the surge of the killer virus when they caught the disease themselves. The team at Samaritan’s Purse worked around the clock toward the only hope for Brantly and Writebol. It was something that had never been done—evacuate the Ebola patients to the U.S. for treatment and cure.

FACING DARKNESS not only tells the story of saving Brantly and Writebol, it shows what happens when people choose compassion over fear in service to others.

FACING DARKNESS premieres in theaters nationwide in a one-night Fathom event, March 30, 2017. Besides the Heartland Film Festival award, the film also earned an Award of Excellence from the Accolade Global Film Competition.

“A powerful documentary, FACING DARKNESS is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of conviction and hope in the face of despair. Congratulations to the Samaritan’s Purse team on bringing Dr. Kent Brantly’s story to screen. Heartland Film Festival audiences have been inspired and transformed.”

The festival—celebrating its 25th year—drew 250 entrants and featured more than 130 independent films. Heartland’s mission is to…

“inspire filmmakers and audiences through the transformative power of film.” The festival selects films that “inspire and uplift, educate and inform, or have the ability to shift audiences’ perspectives on the world.”

an atheist reporter’s surprising road to faith comes to life on film

In 1980, Lee Strobel’s award-winning investigative reporting earned him a promotion to legal editor at the Chicago Tribune. Things at home weren’t going nearly as well. His wife Leslie’s newfound faith in Christ compels Lee to utilize his journalistic and legal training to disprove the claims of Christianity—pitting his resolute atheism against her growing faith. Based on Strobel’s bestselling book of the same name, THE CASE FOR CHRIST is a dramatic and heartfelt telling of their compelling journey. Coming to theaters in 2017, this moving story is said to be for everyone who has ever pondered the existence of God… and what role He could play in their lives.

Author Lee Strobel reports,

“The book The Case for Christ lays out the overwhelming foundation of evidence from which personal faith can rise. The film gives the dramatic story behind the story of a man with personal animosity for Christianity who used journalistic and legal techniques to evaluate its claims. THE CASE FOR CHRIST takes audiences on an exciting journey from skepticism to belief.”

The dramatic feature film draws on the true story of Lee and Leslie Strobel, whose marriage struggled mightily as her growing faith collided with his determined atheism. The dramatic retelling of their journey offers heart and a human touch on the in-depth research Lee Strobel conducted. THE CASE FOR CHRIST is a moving story that will inspire everyone who sees it: believers, those who are searching for answers, and even those who are where Lee Strobel once was.

Jonathan M. Gunn (“Do You Believe?”) directs THE CASE FOR CHRIST, written by Brian Bird, (“When Calls the Heart,” “Touched by an Angel”) and based on Strobel’s book, published by Zondervan, part of HarperCollins Christian Publishing.

In 1980, after he won prestigious awards for investigative journalism, Lee Strobel (Mike Vogel) was promoted to legal affairs editor for the Chicago Tribune. When his wife, Leslie (Erika Christensen) became a Christian, Lee utilized his journalistic and legal training to disprove the claims of Christianity. Working as an investigative reporter would, Strobel interviewed leading scholars on Evangelicalism and Christianity, offering them an opportunity to defend their views. Contrary to his intent, Strobel’s investigative efforts convinced him of Christianity’s reliability. The book became a worldwide best-seller and launched Strobel in a new direction—defending Christianity himself.

THE CASE FOR CHRIST will be distributed by Pure Flix and is produced by Michael Scott, David A. R. White, Karl Horstmann and Brittany Lefebvre, and is set to release theatrically in the Spring of 2017.